EFFECTS OF IRRIGATION INFRASTRUCTURE ON MALARIA AND ITS VECTOR ABUNDANCE:

Title: EFFECTS OF IRRIGATION INFRASTRUCTURE ON MALARIA AND ITS VECTOR ABUNDANCE:

A CASE STUDY OF THE UPPER EAST REGION-GHANA

Authors: Prof. Mrs. Esi Awua, Mr. F.O. Annor, Mr. E.Ofosu

ABSTRACT

According to the FAO (2005), Ghana has a potential irrigable area of over 1.9 million hectares. Of this potential only about 11000 ha have been developed since formal irrigation started in the early 1960s. Despite, the provision of over 200 small scale dams and various mechanisms calculated toward poverty alleviation, the Upper East Region of Ghana is still plagued with poverty and perennial food deficit. There are genuine “cries” for more irrigation water in most farming communities especially in the dry season, hence the need for more dams to be built.

It is therefore to be expected that investments in reservoir projects and their possible impact on vector population will increase substantially in the near future. However, should this happen, there is a great need for an assessment of the possible effects (if any) of these reservoir on malaria and its vector abundance disease vector in the sub-Sahara Africa

In the seven (7) administrative zones of the Bongo District of the Upper East Region of Ghana the occurrences of malaria and relative abundance of the principal malaria vector, Anopheles species, were studied as a function of the presence and characteristics of reservoirs during the rainy season. Case studies in the sub-Sahara Africa show that malaria transmission may increase, decrease or remain largely unchanged as a consequence of reservoir presence. There was a weak negative correlation between distance from reservoir to settlement and adult anopheles abundance. Also there was no correlation between surface area of reservoirs and adult Anopheles mosquito abundance. Percentage of inhabitants using insecticide treated nets, livestock population density, human population density and Anopheles mosquito abundance moderately  affected the occurrence of malaria. The results suggest that vector control targeted at reservoir characteristics and larval control and supplemented by high patronage of insecticide treated nets may be an effective approach for epidemic malaria control in the Bongo District.

KEY WORDS: Bongo District, Reservoir, Anopheles species, Malaria, Vector abundance, niches , Canals, laterals, Insecticide Treated Nets, population density.